The battlefield froze.
Even the monsters hesitated.
High above the defenders of Base 101...
The Goblin Mage floated within a pillar of brilliant blue mana.
Its crystal staff dissolved into countless motes of light.
Ancient runes circled its body.
The surrounding mana surged toward it like rivers flowing into the sea.
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Evolution in progress...
Subject: Goblin Mage.
Requirements fulfilled.
Evolution confirmed.
The pillar of light expanded.
The earth trembled beneath its power.
---
The Emerald Guardian turned.
For the first time...
It ignored Sam.
Its glowing emerald eyes locked onto the evolving Goblin Mage.
The Regional Monster understood.
Something dangerous...
Was being born.
It roared.
CRAAAAAAARRR!!
The remaining monster horde answered.
Thousands of monsters changed direction.
No longer charging the walls...
They rushed toward the Goblin Mage.
---
Ben saw it instantly.
"They're trying to stop the evolution!"
He raised his sword.
"VANGUARD!"
"WITH ME!"
Over a thousand soldiers charged forward.
The Goblin Warlord King roared beside him.
Its axe cleaved through a Crystal Boar.
Goblin Warriors crashed into the monster horde.
No enemy would reach the Mage Corps.
---
Runa pulled back the string of the Windpiercer Bow.
"Archers!"
"Protect the Mage Corps!"
"Storm Volley!"
Thousands of arrows darkened the sky.
Crystal Wolves collapsed before they had taken ten steps.
Mana Serpents were pinned to the ground.
The defenders refused to yield a single meter.
---
Kael lowered the Frost King's Spear.
"Spear Corps!"
"ADVANCE!"
"Frozen Dominion!"
Ice raced across the battlefield.
Stone Apes stumbled.
Crystal Boars lost their footing.
Two hundred spearmen struck together.
THRUST!
Every attack landed.
Every formation held.
---
Mira stood behind the front lines.
"Healers!"
"No one falls today!"
Golden healing circles spread beneath the wounded.
Exhausted soldiers found renewed strength.
Those who had collapsed stood once more.
The Medical Corps never stopped moving.
---
Hidden among the chaos...
Leon appeared behind an enormous Mana Serpent.
"Shadow Rend."
A black flash.
The serpent's head struck the ground.
Before its body fell...
Leon had already vanished.
The Shadow Scouts followed their captain.
The battlefield itself seemed haunted.
---
High above...
Sam understood exactly what the Guardian wanted.
"You won't reach them."
The Emerald Guardian charged.
Its crystal antlers blazed.
Emerald vines exploded from the ground.
"Shadow Step!"
Sam vanished.
He reappeared directly above the Guardian.
"Death Wave!"
A tide of black mana crashed downward.
BOOOOOOOM!!
The Guardian staggered.
Its chest cracked even further.
The glowing mana core pulsed erratically.
---
Then...
The pillar of blue light burst apart.
Every soldier looked upward.
The Goblin Mage slowly descended.
Its appearance had changed.
Its robes had become deep sapphire trimmed with glowing silver runes.
Its crystal staff had transformed into a magnificent arcane staff crowned by a floating emerald crystal.
Ancient mana circled around it like living stars.
Its blue soul flames now burned brighter than ever.
---
DING!
Evolution Complete.
Goblin Mage
↓
Goblin Archmage
---
New Skills Acquired
Grand Mana Convergence
Crystal Dominion
Arcane Legion
Emerald Dispel
---
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
Combat capability has increased dramatically.
---
The Goblin Archmage slowly raised its new staff.
It pointed toward the battlefield.
One calm motion.
"Crystal Dominion."
The earth answered.
BOOOOOOM!!
Towering crystal pillars erupted beneath the monster horde.
Crystal Wolves were launched into the air.
Stone Apes became trapped inside massive crystal prisons.
Mana Serpents were crushed beneath rising crystal spikes.
The battlefield itself had changed.
Every defender stared in amazement.
---
Zora smiled.
"Incredible..."
The Goblin Archmage looked toward her.
Then raised its staff once more.
"Arcane Legion."
Blue light spread across the Mage Corps.
Every mage suddenly felt their mana increase.
Spell circles formed faster.
Mana consumption dropped.
Zora's eyes widened.
"It strengthened..."
"...all of us."
She smiled.
"Then let's show them what the Mage Corps can do!"
She thrust her staff forward.
"Mage Corps!"
"Fire Missiles!"
Hundreds of blazing projectiles filled the sky.
The Goblin Archmage followed.
"Grand Mana Convergence."
Every spell merged into one colossal sphere of blue fire.
It descended upon the trapped monsters.
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The northern battlefield disappeared beneath a sea of flames.
Thousands of monsters were erased in a single attack.
Cheers erupted across Base 101.
"The Goblin Mage evolved!"
"Our Mage Corps!"
"They're incredible!"
---
High above the battlefield...
The Emerald Guardian watched its army vanish.
For the first time...
It stepped backward.
Inside its ancient mind...
A single thought emerged.
The humans...
Were stronger than expected.
Sam slowly lifted Soul Reaver.
A smile crossed his face.
"Now..."
"It's your turn."
The Emerald Guardian lowered its antlers once more.
Its damaged mana core pulsed violently.
The final battle...
Had begun.